Cisco Cisco Prime Network Registrar 8.1 User Guide
Introduction
Major Functions 3
either IPv4 or IPv6. That subnet must exist in a network of that address type and all the
individual IP addresses in that subnet will be of that type.
Cisco Prime Network Registrar IPAM provides a central repository for all subnet information;
Cisco Prime Network Registrar IPAM provides a central repository for all subnet information;
it verifies the accuracy of that information by “reading” the network and comparing it to the
repository. The result is a single, correct picture of what is deployed on the network.
1.2.2 Individual IP Address Inventory
Historically, IP Addresses have been recorded as being used with a number of different
Historically, IP Addresses have been recorded as being used with a number of different
methods. These include spreadsheets and logs. Some organizations have used DNS files or
DHCP configurations to track which IP addresses were assigned and which ones were
available. Common to all these techniques was a single view of the information. These
processes only looked at the information in one way regardless of how those addresses were
actually deployed on the network. DNS looked at it strictly from a DNS resource-record view.
IP addresses don’t live by themselves. They are always equated with something, specifically
IP addresses don’t live by themselves. They are always equated with something, specifically
some device or host on the network.
Cisco Prime Network Registrar IPAM’s design took this into consideration. Cisco Prime
Cisco Prime Network Registrar IPAM’s design took this into consideration. Cisco Prime
Network Registrar IPAM keeps track of a number of elements that represent real aspects of an
IP network. These elements are:
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IP Addresses
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Devices
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DNS Information
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DHCP Information
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Services
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Users
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Logical or Physical representations of how a network is organized.
Relationships are then established between these elements in such a way that represent real
network situations. Examples are:
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IP addresses are associated with devices
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Devices can have any number of DNS Resource Records
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Users own devices
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Devices reside at physical locations
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Subnets reside at physical locations
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Subnets form a logical network topology
•
Services execute on Devices
A comprehensive IP Address Management System not only tracks the IP addresses
themselves, but also how those addresses affect, and are affected by, other things on the
network. For example, if a network management system such as HP Openview discovers a
router, it will report on all the subnets that are attached to that device. It is the IP Address